Beaches – Negril, Jamaica
Looking for a getaway for your family, getting married or a single parent looking for the perfect vacation, then head to All -Inclusive Beaches in Negril, Jamaica for an affordable travel opportunity. There was a time when my idea of a perfect vacation was to see and learn as much as possible in the shortest time possible. The typical visit included seeing 10 cities in 8 days, now it’s all about relaxation, spending time with my daughter and getting some much needed mommy time.
One of my single mom friends invited us to go to Beaches in Negril, Jamaica. For years, I had seen the Beaches commercial but was somewhat hesitant given that Beaches is an all-inclusive resort. I have no idea why but I the idea of an all-inclusive resort made me skeptical. But I thought, why not? I needed the rest and I liked the idea of not having to worry about a lot of details. So off we went and I am glad we did.
What I liked about Beaches, Negril:
- The resort. From the moment we arrived, I felt at ease and relaxed. The grounds were beautfully manicured and of course, the palm trees helped me feel so far away from the problems of the world or should I say, my world. Just wandering about the grounds was exhilarating and peaceful.
- The Beach -What can I say? I loved walking on the white sand beach. My friend and I just camped out on the beach chairs, sat, talked, read our books/magazines and just plain relaxed. For me, I was happy to just stare out at the clear blue water and occasionally wandered into the water which was amazing. There is something about just staring at out at the water that is so calming or maybe the right word is vegetative.
Beaches – Negril, Jamaica Property, Beaches all inclusive resorts, Sesame street
- Supervised Kids Camp – As a single mom, my one request is to just get some “me” time. The supervised kids camp allows me to just sit on the beach and stare at the water without having to worry that my daughter is not having a great time. The Kids camp has plenty of activities to keep the kids occupied. All the caretakers were sweet and I felt that my daughter was safe and had a great time. I also liked that you could drop the kids off later in the day as I liked hanging out at the beach with my daughter and then have the afternoon free to veg.
- Pirates Island Water Park – What is there to say except two words “Lazy River.” My daughter loved it and I must admit as a non-swimmer, I loved it, too. What better way to spend the afternoon than wandering down a river on your back. Everyone has to wear a floatation device, so it’s safe for all.
- Red Lane Spa – The first afternoon, my friend and I dropped the kids off at camp and spent the afternoon having a massage and mani/pedi. The spa is beautifully designed and felt like it was in another world. I even got my hair done.
- All- Inclusive feature and Affordable Family Travel – Normally, I am not a big fan of this feature but when you have kids, the biggest expense of a vacation is the food and if you have a picky eater, it gets to be super expensive ordering $30 breakfast where your kid eats a bite and you are left feeling like a pauper. I liked not having to worry that we spent a small fortune on food everyday because of the numerous options for kids. Yes, having chicken fingers and fries everyday, may not be the best thing for your kids but there are tons of fruit and vegetable options. And for the adults, nothing is more refreshing after a day at the beach than having a Red Stripe waiting in your fridge.
- Sesame Street Themed activities – Non-stop activities from all your kid’s favorite characters that is sure to thrill. My daughter was excited to see someone new everyday and could not wait to tell me who she saw that day. Sunday Sesame Street Character breakfast – my daughter aged out of Sesame Street but she was still happy to go to the breakfast. Tip – book it online before you arrive.
Beaches Negril Jamaica Sesame Street’s Bert and Ernie
- The Staff was sooo nice, courteous and aims to please. My friend was not happy with her sofa so they changed it out without an argument.
- Evening events – There was entertainment every evening that kept both the kids and us entertained.
What I did not like about Beaches, Negril:
- The non-suite type rooms – I originally booked a Premium room and while the room was beautiful, roomy and the bed was perfectly fine, I did not like the layout of the room. The chair was not situated in front of the television. I know I am on vacation but I like to sit, relax, read and watch television after my daughter goes to sleep. The way the room is laid out, the only way to watch the television is to sit on the bed. I actually upgraded after we arrived, to a honeymoon suite, weird but it had a pull-out sofa bed and a wing chair and was worth it. This room type gives you access to concierge service.
- Small coffee cups – I liked being able to enjoy coffee on the beach in the morning but the coffee cups were too small and hardly worth taking to the beach. Next time, I am going to bring a commuter coffee mug and filler up.
- Wi-fi was not free – then again, is it free anywhere?
Additional amenities:
Fitness Center
Water Sports – XBox Game room for tweens/teenagers
Liquid Nightclub for parents who still like to party down
Land games such as billiards, croquet and table tennis
Tours- from swimming with the dolphins to zipline canopy to kayaking and much more
The resort is always running promotions so definitely check it out at http://www.beaches.com
Disclosure: NYC Single Mom was not compensated for this post.
